[Report 1965] / Medical Officer of Health, Dearne U.D.C.

  • Dearne (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1965
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1965] / Medical Officer of Health, Dearne U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    nervous system. These correspond to rates of 3-54 (West Riding 4-48); 1-60 (West Riding 2-07); 1-08 (West Riding 1-30): 1‘16 (West Riding 1*82), although it would not be statistically proper to make any definite deductions from these totals or rates, it may be significant that deaths from respiratory diseases follow closely the deaths from cancer in the division as a whole. In the country as a whole the commonest causes of death in descending order are heart and circulatory diseases, cancer, vascular diseases of the nervous system and respiratory diseases. It is emphasised that in this division respiratory diseases are responsible for an unduly high proportion of the total deaths. The role of atmospheric pollution in deaths from respiratory diseases such as cancer of the lung and bronchitis need not, I hope, be restated. I would direct your attention to the remarks of your Chief Public Health Inspector on the need for clean air. I would support his remarks. Reform is long overdue in this important aspect of public health. It is paradoxical that in mining areas where clean air is vital because of the high incidence of respiratory diseases in all age groups in all classes little has been done to limit atmospheric pollution. We are, by our own choice, denying the population the benefits of the Clean Air Act approved by all shades of opinion. We are failing to implement a health measure as vital to the community as a safe water supply. It is a public health tragedy for the Dearne that those parts of the country which could most benefit from such action have been the slowest to respond, and I trust that your council will reconsider its attitude to smoke control. There were no deaths from tuberculosis. Three deaths were recorded from other infectious diseases. There were 23 illegitimate births ; a similar number to last year with no deaths. Grass verges in the area have continued to be used by itinerant caravan dwellers. There are no licensed caravan sites and a partial solution would be the provision of a local authority camping site. There is a need for further thought on health education. Local health authorities for many years have moved along ‘he well worn lines of films, posters, talks etc. It is difficult to see at first glance that any major benefits have accrued from such measures. No mass campaign for the prevention of smoking has to my knowledge ever succeeded. The evils of atmospheric pollution are not yet fully accepted, over-eating and lack of